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Is white rice healthy? White, brown, basmati, jasmine and wild rice compared

USDA numbers for five kinds of rice, glycemic index tests, what the diabetes studies can and can’t show, and how to lower arsenic and keep cooked rice safe.

By the Nourish & Strong team8 min read
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The short answer: white rice can be part of a healthy diet in moderate portions, but it’s a refined grain with little fiber. A cup of brown rice has about five times the fiber and four times the magnesium, though it tends to carry more arsenic. Your best plan is smaller portions, varied grains and plenty of vegetables.

Is brown rice healthier than white rice?

Brown rice has more nutrition, because milling white rice removes the bran and germ. The bran holds fiber, B vitamins and minerals, and the germ holds healthy fats and vitamin E, Harvard notes. Here’s how a cooked cup compares in USDA data:

Cooked rice, 1 cupCaloriesProteinCarbsFiberMagnesiumIron
White long-grain, enriched (158g)2054.3g45g0.6g19mg1.9mg
White basmati*2054.3g45g0.6g19mg1.9mg
White jasmine*2054.3g45g0.6g19mg1.9mg
Brown long-grain (202g)2485.5g52g3.2g79mg1.1mg
Wild rice (164g)1666.5g35g3.0g52mg1.0mg

*USDA’s SR Legacy data has no separate basmati or jasmine entry. Both are long-grain rices, so we used the long-grain figures. Check your package, because brands differ.

Look at the cup weights before you compare calories. USDA’s cup of brown rice weighs 202g and its cup of white weighs 158g. Per 100g, brown has 123 calories and white has 130, so they’re close. White rice’s real shortfall is fiber: 0.6g against a Daily Value of 28g. See our list of high fiber foods for better sources.

Is rice a grain?

Yes. MyPlate guidance counts rice in the grains group. Brown rice is a whole grain, with its bran, germ and endosperm. White rice is a refined grain. Basmati and jasmine are long-grain rices, and basmati also comes in brown. Wild rice is the odd one out: it’s the seed of an aquatic grass, so it isn’t technically rice.

Which rice has the lowest glycemic index?

Glycemic index (GI) ranks how a carbohydrate food raises blood sugar, on a scale where 55 or less is low and 70 or more is high. We pulled plain cooked rice tests from the University of Sydney’s database, leaving out instant, pouch and parboiled products:

RiceTestsGI rangeMiddle value
White basmati1150 to 6759
White long-grain547 to 7659
Brown751 to 8765
White jasmine1568 to 11689
Wild1 older test5858

The ranges are wide because variety and cooking both matter, so one label can’t tell you the whole story. Jasmine tends to run high and basmati lower. Brown rice isn’t reliably low: the 2008 international tables average 68 for boiled brown rice and 73 for boiled white. Eating rice with protein, fat or fiber slows the rise in blood sugar, the CDC says.

Does white rice cause type 2 diabetes?

The research shows a link at high intakes, but it can’t prove cause.

  • BMJ, 2012: seven cohort analyses covering 352,384 people found 55% higher risk with the highest white rice intake in Chinese and Japanese groups. In Western groups, who ate far less, the 12% difference could have been chance.
  • PURE study, 2020: among 132,373 people in 21 countries, eating 450g or more of cooked rice a day (about 3 cups) was tied to 20% higher risk than under 150g. The link was strongest in South Asia and wasn’t significant in China.
  • BMJ Open, 2022: a review found higher risk with white rice, with a clear dose effect above about 300g a day. Brown rice was tied to 11% lower risk.

These studies have real limits. They’re observational and rely on people reporting what they eat, and PURE measured diet only once. Income and other habits may explain some of the link. The brown rice data comes from three US groups of mostly white health professionals. And trials are less clear: in the 2022 review, swapping brown for white for weeks or months changed little beyond a small rise in HDL cholesterol. A 3-month trial of 166 adults in India found no significant difference in its main measures overall.

If you’re worried, read about the signs of diabetes and ask your doctor for a test.

Does rice have arsenic in it?

Yes, in small amounts. The FDA says rice absorbs arsenic more readily than other crops, and that long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic is linked with some cancers, skin disorders and heart disease. Fetuses, infants and children are most vulnerable. Levels vary. Consumer Reports’ 2026 testing of 52 products found these averages for inorganic arsenic:

  • Basmati: 55 parts per billion
  • Sushi rice: 57
  • Jasmine: 87
  • Long- and short-grain: 101
  • All white rice: 72, against 113 for all brown rice

That report didn’t list wild rice. Here’s how to lower your intake:

  • Parboil first. Boil the rice for 5 minutes, drain it, then finish it in fresh water. Studies found this removed 54% to 73% of inorganic arsenic, and Consumer Reports’ tests found 50% to 58%.
  • Or cook it like pasta. Using 6 to 10 parts water and draining removes 40% to 60%, the FDA says. The trade-off is that enriched white rice loses 50% to 70% of its added folate, iron, niacin and thiamin.
  • Don’t count on rinsing. The FDA says it does little for arsenic and washes off added nutrients.
  • Rotate your grains. Try oats, barley or quinoa. Our guide to whether oatmeal is good for you is a good start.
  • Vary baby cereals. Rice cereal shouldn’t be a baby’s only iron-fortified cereal, the FDA says.

What does enriched rice mean?

Enriched white rice has nutrients added back after milling. The federal standard requires thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid and iron. In USDA data, a cup of enriched white rice has 1.9mg of iron and 92mcg of folate, while unenriched has 0.3mg and 5mcg. Enrichment doesn’t restore the fiber. The same rule calls for a label line telling you not to rinse before or drain after cooking, which keeps the vitamins in.

Is cold rice healthier?

A little, perhaps. Cooling turns some starch into resistant starch, which your gut doesn’t absorb. In one small trial of 15 healthy adults, white rice chilled for 24 hours and reheated had 1.65g of resistant starch per 100g, against 0.64g when fresh, and it raised blood sugar less. In 32 people with type 1 diabetes, cooled rice also gave a smaller rise, but hypoglycemia was more likely on a standard insulin dose. If you use insulin, ask your care team before changing how you eat rice.

How long can cooked rice sit out?

Not long. Uncooked rice often carries Bacillus cereus spores that survive cooking. If rice cools slowly, they can grow and make a toxin that causes vomiting. Western Australia’s health department warns that you can’t see, smell or taste it, and reheating won’t destroy it. So reheating isn’t the problem. Slow cooling is.

  • Refrigerate rice within 1 hour, as University of Wisconsin Extension advises. Never leave it out overnight.
  • Spread it in shallow containers no more than 3 inches deep.
  • Eat it within 3 to 5 days, and reheat it to 165°F.

Get medical help if you can’t keep fluids down, vomiting lasts more than 2 days, or you see blood. Get emergency care if you’re confused or have sudden, severe belly pain.

Is white rice healthy to eat every day?

It can be, if the portion is moderate and the rest of your diet is varied. A half cup of cooked rice counts as one ounce of grains, and MyPlate advice says at least half your grains should be whole. Harvard’s Healthy Eating Plate is stricter and says to limit white rice. Try this at dinner:

  • Keep rice to about a quarter of your plate, as in our healthy dinner ideas.
  • Add beans, fish, chicken or tofu, plus a big serving of vegetables.
  • Mix brown and white rice if you prefer the taste of white.
  • Pick white basmati when you want white rice with a lower GI and less arsenic.

If your goal is lowering cholesterol, swapping some rice for oats and beans is a simple place to start. For an easy way to add more fiber each day, the banana recipes below list it on every one.

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Quick questions

Is white rice bad for diabetics?

White rice isn’t off limits, but portions matter because it’s a carb food that raises blood sugar. The CDC’s plate method gives carb foods a quarter of a 9-inch plate. Pair rice with protein, fat or fiber, and ask your doctor or dietitian what amount suits you.

Is basmati rice healthy?

Yes, in moderate portions. White basmati is still a refined grain with little fiber, but it tested lower for glycemic index than jasmine in the University of Sydney database, with a middle value of 59. It also had the lowest average arsenic in Consumer Reports’ 2026 tests.

Does rice have fiber?

Yes, though white rice has very little. USDA data gives about 0.6g of fiber in a cooked cup of white rice, 3.2g in brown and 3.0g in wild rice. The Daily Value is 28g, so beans, vegetables and fruit will do far more for you.

Does rice have gluten?

No. Plain rice without additives or seasonings is naturally gluten-free, according to the NIDDK, and that includes basmati, jasmine and wild rice. Flavored mixes and bulk bins can bring in gluten. If you have celiac disease, buy rice labeled gluten-free and keep it away from gluten foods.

Can rice be left out overnight?

No. Throw it away. Bacillus cereus spores survive cooking and can grow in rice that stays warm, making a toxin that reheating won’t destroy. You can’t see or smell it. University of Wisconsin Extension advises moving rice to the fridge within one hour, in shallow containers.

Is wild rice healthier than white rice?

It has more nutrition per cup. USDA data shows cooked wild rice with about 3.0g of fiber and 6.5g of protein, against 0.6g and 4.3g for white. Wild rice is the seed of an aquatic grass, and it has fewer calories per cup too.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are approximate and vary by brand and cooking method. If you have diabetes, use insulin, are pregnant or are feeding a baby, ask your doctor or dietitian what suits you.

Sources